Or a Dean Markley CD30 -- probably similar in some respects. The DM has the most gorgeous jazz tone, in addition to all tube overdrive sounds. To get it under $500, you'll need to find a sale like I did.

It'll be for the house and jam fests with my boys gotto get louder than the drums I'm in the process of stealing my pops pro jr but that blues jr sounds so good for the prices ima have to sell off some pedals or my peavey t-15

I have an AC15C1 that I really like a lot. It'll fit your needs nicely. It has really nice tremolo too if you're interested in that. I'd take that over a Blues Jr. although those Humboldt Blues Jr. with the Cannabis Rex speakers look really nice too.

I can generally get into a Twin Reverb around here for $500. If I'm lucky I can get into a nice Twin Reverb for $500.

That would be the all time killer more amp for less dough deal especially if we're going by the pound.

Except Super Twins show up every so often around $400. How 'bout 180 tube watts for that money?!

Next pick would be Bassman / Bandmaster / Showman heads. I'd try to get into a SF Bassman for $400 and use the other $100 to buy speakers. I'd be well on my way to a gig worth rig for $500. That's worthy of any gig.

Non- reverb SF Bandmasters get no respect. Fender offered the Bandmaster chassis in a 4x10" cabinet as the last pre-CBS Concert back in '64. A Bandmaster chassis converted into a 2x10" combo is a pretty powerful tool.

Non- Fenders:

I can still get into late Traynor YBA-1s under $500. That's the late version with aluminum trim and small transformers. The late ones aren't a balls to the wall Poor Man's Marshall like the early ones. Then again the early ones make 50 watt Marshalls seem wimpy by comparison. See the pattern here? More amp costs less money!

The all time screaming bargain: The old Traynor Guitar Mate. The models are YGM-1 through YGM-4. The YGM-1 is super cool. It's like a stripped down Deluxe Reverb with EL84s. If you find a seller who hasn't gotten the memo you can buy these around $500.